


Together

by Amethyst_owl



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-26
Updated: 2014-12-26
Packaged: 2018-03-03 17:14:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2858639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amethyst_owl/pseuds/Amethyst_owl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After an almost fatal mission, Kaidan decides he must do something drastic to make his feelings clear to the love of his life, Kathryn Shepard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Together

Kathryn Shepard opens her eyes, blinking a couple of times. Grit and dirt covers her face, and her mouth is filled with the taste of blood. She tries to move, but her limbs are pinned, crushed by something heavy lying across her stomach. Smoke dances overhead, great clouds billowing from charred wreckage.

“Kaidan?!” She croaks, turning her head towards the wreckage of the shuttle. Their eyes meet, and he runs towards her.

“Shit, Kath!” He drops to his knees beside her, brushing a stray strand of red hair from her face.

“I think I’m trapped. I can’t move.”  She groans “Do something, please.”

“Yeah, that usually tends to happen when you’re trapped under something, sweetheart.”

“ _ **Kaidan**_.”

“Alright, alright!” He holds up his hands in surrender “I think I can lift it…”

Kaidan braces himself against the twisted metal and shoves it as forcefully as he can. It topples, and Kathryn breathes a sigh of relief. Feeling returning to her limbs, she climbs unsteadily to her feet. Kaidan reaches out to steady her, and she grabs his hand.

“I’m not letting go of you until we’re safe.” She says, resting her head against his chest.

“Good plan.” He replies “Liara called for evac. The shuttle’s just over there. Now, are you sure you’re alright?”

“I’m absolutely fine!” She responds.

They’re only two metres from the ship when her body crumples, lifeless.

~~~~~~

“She’s bleeding internally. We’ve got to get her back – there’s only so much I can do right now.” Liara says quietly “Are you sure you can get us back?”

“It’s life or death - I have to be. And I am.” He frowns, disappearing into the control room “Make sure she’s still alive when we land. I can’t lose her like this. Not after everything we’ve been through”

“You won’t. I’ll do my best, Major.”

“You’d better.”

~~~~~~

Kaidan slips through the door, moving quietly across the small room and perching on the side of the bed. Shepard’s chest rises and falls, her perfect lips parted. The light from the window falls across her body, and Kaidan brushes back her hair from her face, his hand lingering on her cheek.

“Hey.” He whispers “I guess you can’t hear me right now, but we did it. We’re safe. You were so brave, Kath.”

She lies still, and Kaidan sighs.

“You gotta wake up, Kath,” He says quietly. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

~~~~~~

“Major Alenko… she’s awake, and she’s asking for you.”

Kaidan’s heart skips a beat, and before he realises it he is hurtling down the corridor. The door opens, and Kathryn smiles.

“Hey.” She says. She is wearing a loose t-shirt – one of his, he notes – and black leggings. Her legs hang over the side, swinging idly as she sits. Kaidan grins, wrapping her up in a gentle embrace. His lips find hers, and her hands entwine with his.

“Shit, Kath…I’ve missed you so much.” He whispers between kisses.

“I’m so sorry…” She replies “I shouldn’t have tried to be a hero. Everything I put you through--”

“You’re alive, and that’s all that matters to me.”

“I…I dreamed of you.” She murmurs against his lips. “I was scared I’d never see you again.”

“I thought I was gonna lose you, Kathryn. I genuinely thought I wouldn’t even get to say goodbye. I don’t know what I would’ve done if…if you hadn’t made it.”

“As soon as I’m allowed out of here, I’m gonna make it up to you, Alenko.”

“I look forward to it.” He winks. “Room for a little one in here?”

“Sure.” She replies.  Kaidan climbs up beside her, gently pulling her onto his lap. She winces slightly as his hand grazes her bruised stomach, and leans against him, her head on his shoulder.

“Kaidan…In case it happens again and I don’t make it out alive, I want you to know that I love you. More than you could ever know.”

“Kathryn, I—”

“I’m serious, Kaidan.”

“And I love you.” He replies, kissing her forehead. “Always have, Commander.”

~~~~~~

It takes time, but soon Kathryn is well enough to return to duty. She hums softly as she tidies her quarters, folding up uniforms and setting them into the drawers. Kaidan continues to check on her, dropping in unannounced with food or flowers or some other gift.

But one day, he doesn’t.

Kathryn doesn’t think much of it at first, but when she asks around and nobody has seen him, she begins to wonder.

And suddenly, there’s a knock on the door.

“Kaidan.” Kathryn says quietly. He nods.

“Yep. That’s my name.” He laughs softly. She raises an eyebrow and gives him a playful punch.

“So…uh…Can you join me on the observation deck?” He says. “I have something to show you.”

“Yeah. Sure.” Kathryn shrugs, allowing Kaidan to take her hand and lead her away. Kaidan pauses at the door.

“Kathryn, shut your eyes. Please.”

“Why?” She says, as he places his hands over her eyes and nudges her through the door. When his arms finally drop, she is standing in a room full of scattered rose petals. The window reveals a nebula of swirling red and purple, and the stars sparkle around it.

“Kathryn, there’s something I need to ask you.” He says, dropping to one knee and pulling something shiny from his pocket. “Kathryn Grace Shepard… Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” She replies almost instantly. “Yes!”

The ring is simple but unbelievably beautiful – a diamond flanked by two smaller amethysts set into a platinum band. His hand seems to tremble slightly as he slides it onto her finger, and he stands slowly to kiss her. Soft music drifts through from somewhere, slow and romantic. They begin to dance, his hands on her waist, and hers on his shoulders. She cannot stop staring at the ring, and a smile tugs at her lips.

“When I thought I was gonna lose you, I knew I had to do this as soon as you were better.” He whispers. “I want to spend my life with you, Kathryn. I want to watch our children play together as we sit and reminisce about today. I want _you_ , Kathryn.”

“Kaidan, I…” She begins, laughing almost sadly. “When I was in the hospital, I couldn’t get you out of my head – whenever you left I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

She buries her face in his neck, inhaling the faint scent of his aftershave and pressing their bodies together.

“I love you.” She says quietly. “I love you so damn much.”

“I love you too.” He replies. “But please…don’t you ever go where I can’t follow. I can’t lose you again.”

“If we go, we go together.” She nods.

“Together.”


End file.
